Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-10

We we've pleasantly situated, my wife
proved an excellent hotisckeeper, ana
Tor three months our prospects were
bright pnd our happiness supreme
Then The clouds began to gather First,
rival practitioner came to Elstow ana
hung ont his Single. He styled him
self an " Eclectic" which perhaps ac-
counted for his impudence. He was
smooth. shave, sly dog. nc knew
very little about medicine and 2 greas
deal about human nature. The leading
church in the place, to which unior-
tupstsIy / did not belong, was q close.
communion harlshell Baptist. VI
course the Eclectic at once announces
that he vas Jealous hnrdsheli tapiist.
This mesnt tho loss OF my best patients,
for without troubling 10 discover any
direct relation Lttwcen their theoloei-
eel tenets and the state of their health,
il was q notable fact that most OF the
chronic cases which / treated might
have been found any Sunday morning
in the Baptist church. These at once
deserted mo for the Eclectic.
"Never mind, kndr5; let them go.
Those thrt are alive in twelve months
will only be too glad to come back
again" my wife would say with fine
disdaiD. 60 put on proud lip, did
nov level best, and waited for the return
of the first hardshell Baptist who
should come to himself. But ] never
saw him. NV circuit took in the VII
lage of Hiahiow, and one day in Octo-
Der, as rode into the place, my eyes
were suddenly afflicted with the
sight of large new signboard
bearing this legend +: DR.. DE White,
Homeopathic Physician | was told
that he had said that he was
come and meant to stay. And stay
be. did. Had his system of medical
ethics been the same as mine. the
knowledge that l considered him an
interloper, q sort Of moral poacher,
would doubtless have troubled his con-
science. BIT as it was believe he
only laughed, nicknamed me Pope
Martin, and said 1 must have a devilish
lot of humor in me. But the worst
of all was that he was clever, we'll
educated fellow, who understood his
business and did good work. His
bread pills, sugar coatings, and in
finite Oscillations, worked wonders
in several instances. His fame
was bruited about and grew
with what it fed upon. Certainly
well known, though hardly. commenda-
bic, characteristics of average humani-
ty were thus afforded n clear field for
their display, and they were thus dis
played, with the result that L became
aware that / was not holding my own
against homeopath and eclectic COM
bined. They made inroads into my
practice that were fatal in a region that
was so circumscribed. Still struggled
on, not so much bravely as tiercely and
desperately, but i'll vain. st first the
difficulty was to make two ends meet,
and DO what We would there came times
when they would not meet. | tried to
sublet the house, intending to go into
q small cottage, but no one wanted it.
One day / missed cur single servant.
"My darling, are you still happy in
my love 2 T." was the irrelevant question
that met my inquiry as to where
Bridget was. l took my wife in my
arms and kissed her. saying: "Yes,
love your love is everything to me-"
"Then, dearest husband-you will
not be aDgry--l am going to do my
own Homework. | am tired of SER
wants they eat mp more than they are
worth"
Icould not speak. A great lump was
in my throat / felt like choking. l
feel 1t now; / always feel it when | re-
member that time. Let it pass. How
we got through the winter l do not
know. / was my own groom, and my
wife was maid of -all-work When spring
came we began to talk about leaving
and going back to New York. | had
written my old employer, asking if he
knew ofany one who wanted an assistant.
He replied, after month'sdreary delay,
that be should only be too happy to
re-engage me himself. 1t looked very
dreary going back, and L thought my
wife shIank from the prospect. Another
thing troubled me--in the course of
couple of months my darling was ex-
pecting to become a mother. 1t was
arranged that she should go home to
Eastbyeastborough for the event; but
it looked at present as if l should not
be able to be with her, being expected
in New York. This troubled me not q
little.
at last the day came for us to leave
Elstow. We drove across country, about
thirty miles, to Eastbyeastborough,
where We were warmly welcomed by
Mr.. and Mrs. Van Meter. l intended
staying with my wife three or four days
and then TO leave her and proceed to
New York. Two or three days went by,
and YVES to leave on the morrow. 1t
was a bright warm day in the beginning
of June. Ny wife had gone, / under
stood, othe village to do some shopping,
and sat under the trees in front of the
house smoking. The birds were sing
ing, the binds were opening, and all na.
ture was pulsing with the new and beau
tiful life. a stray butterfly WAS calling
to and flo. Ny heart grew heavy as |
thought of leaving my wife and going
back 10 the foul streets OF the mciropo-
lis. ] was aroused from my dismal
thoughts by the appearing OF a foot
man in livery.
"If you please, sir, are you DR.. Mar
fin ." iYouirad thr man.
81 an"
"If You please, sir, mistress wants to
see you at once.
"Who is your mistress?"
"Aliss Jewe.t, OF the Hall.
"Oh, yes. l remember the place
with q clock tower?"
Yes, SIR"
"Wcll, / don't know how she knew |
WIS here. Is she sick 2"
~ don't know, sir; her maid brought
me her order. She has been away
from home for some time"
"VeIy wei. ] will follow You di-
rcctly."
The man left and went IN, freshened
myself up bit, aud started for the
Hall. tried to recollect what my wife
had told me OF her, but could only re-
call that she was maiden lady and &C.
centric. When | reached the Hall |
wss shown into the drawing-room--a
long room, very lofty, with great
pointed arch-windows, and lnxuriously
furnished. i bad not time to take in
more of the details before maid-ser-
want entered and said: